Tiny table for the Gods

The complete scene of our miniature table probably represents an offering table. The combination of the mini-vessels and animal figurine on top of the table could mirror an actual Mycenaean libation or sacrificial scene. Although we cannot be completely sure, this miniature offering scene was most likely discovered in a grave. Sending the deceased off with objects was a common religious act. Let us explore this idea.

The animal figurine on top of the tripod can refer to sacrificial rites, in which food such as wheat, and - to a lesser degree - animals like pigs, cows, sheep, and goats were offered to the Mycenaean gods.Archaeological evidence suggests that ritual sacrifice was often accompanied by communal feasting, where parts of the animals were eaten. The miniature vessels suggest another practice: libations. In such rituals, liquids such as honey, oil, or wine were poured onto an altar or on the ground. It seems likely that libations were part of funerals.See Lupack (2012). Mycenaean Religion. The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean. Oxford, p. 64. Although the vases and animal on the table help us to make a bit more sense of this object, the precise function of this mysterious miniature table remains unknown. And there is one other mystery we haven’t yet touched upon...

Do you want to know more about Mycenaean funerary practices before diving into the last mystery? We have added some extra information!